Few people really are and do
their best. Nature has blessed a few with great
talents and abilities. These persons often
become proud, self-centered, and feel themselves
to be superior, and for that reason many times
they fail to make the proper use of their
abilities. How often are they used in a bad or
foolish way, so that what might be a blessing to
the world fails to be such! There are many
others who realize they do not possess these
natural gifts. They look upon those who have
them, and envy them. They bemoan their own lack,
and say, "If I only had the talents that person
has," and meanwhile they sit in idleness, making
no use of what they have.
"If I could preach like So-and
so, what I would accomplish for the Lord!"
another says; or, "If I had the money So-and-so
has, what I could accomplish for the kingdom!"
"If my circumstances were
different, I might hope to do something," comes
from another.
But all these are like the
dreamer who says, "Tomorrow I will do great
things," and yet today he does nothing.
Make the Best of Yourself
You will always be yourself. You
can never be any one else. If you ever
accomplish anything, it will be through those
powers and abilities you now possess. It is of
no use to lament that you are not as somebody
else is; it is of no use to envy another's
talents. You are only yourself. You might as
well face that fact, and endeavor to make the
best possible use of the gifts you have. They
may look very small compared with those of some
others, but they are all you have. Time spent in
troubling yourself because you are not greater
is worse than wasted. The question is, Shall I
improve and make use of what I have?
Man is capable of great
development. Eye, hand, strength, mind, will-in
fact, the whole man may, by proper efforts, be
taught and developed, and expanded until he
becomes something very different from what he
was at first. The blessing of God will help us
much, but that will not take the place of our
own determined and persevering efforts.
Have you ever attempted to
develop yourself? Do not think that because your
abilities now seem small they never can be
greater. You were only a child once. You did not
think that you never would be larger. You looked
eagerly forward to the time when you would be as
large as grown-up people. Each day you ate and
drank and breathed and exercised-the very things
that would produce the growth that you desired.
You used what you had of energy and strength,
and thus increased them. We ought to be as wise
in spiritual things as in natural things. Paul
said to Timothy, "Neglect not the gift that is
in thee."
You must make use of what you
have, then God will bestow more. But he can not
bestow more until you use with your might what
you have. You are, so to speak, the raw material
of what you may be. What you will be depends on
the use you make of this material. The
responsibility for the final product lies with
you. Develop your mind, develop your soul,
develop patience, courage, faith, loyalty,
justice, benevolence, endurance, cheerfulness,
determination, diligence, industry, and all
those other qualities that make up real
Christian manhood and that are the foundation of
success in life. If you lack the will to try and
keep trying, you will see yourself always a
failure. Decide to be your best and do your
best. If you will do this by God's help, you
will not fail.
Use Wisely What You Have
Israel was oppressed. The
Philistines had taken the Israelites' swords and
spears, in fact, swept the country bare of
armor. Shamgar had not much to fight with. He
had no sword nor spear, no shield, no helmet.
The Philistines were coming; something must be
done. There was the ox-goad, but what would that
amount to against swords and spears? It was all
the weapon he had. But he had something else; he
had courage, determination, and faith. So he
started straight for the host of enemies, and we
are told that he slew "six hundred men with an
ox-goad: and he also delivered Israel" (Judges
3:31). He had only an ox-goad, but he used it
manfully. Had he not done so, Israel would not
have been delivered.
David, when he went against
Goliath, had only his home-made sling and a few
stones from the brook. But he went up to battle
with unshaken faith in God. He had not much to
start with in the way of weapons, but he had the
courage to use what he did have. And he is
famous to this day as Israel's deliverer.
Samson had only a jaw-bone, but
he did not stop a moment to lament that fact. He
did have the three things necessary in
himself-courage, determination, and faith. And
we are told that the Spirit of the Lord came
mightily upon him. The result was he slew a
thousand of hi enemies, and put the rest to
flight. Have you not as much equipment as any of
these men had? But the results of their efforts
were glorious. If you think you have but little
to use for God, just add to it courage,
determination, and faith, and go ahead. You will
find that the Spirit of the Lord will make you
mighty. Do not worry because you have so little
to give; just be sure you give what you can. Do
not worry because you seem to have so little
ability, or so little time, or so little
opportunity; but do not fail to use what you
have. Make the best of them.
Use Your Environment
It is of no use to say, "If my
surroundings were different," or "If I were in
some other place, then I could do better."
Possibly you could, but that is not the
question. Are you doing what you can in your
present environment? If you can change your
environment for the better, do it. If you can
not, then decide to do your best where you are.
You may dream of ideal
conditions, but you will not find them in this
world. Whether you succeed or fail depends less
on your environment than it does on yourself. If
you will be true to the best that is in you,
your environment will not have the influence
that you imagine it will. Favorable
circumstances never take the place of
soul-qualities. Develop your soul-qualities, and
you will be master of your environment. You need
not let it master you. Be your best, and do your
best, in your place. Make the best of your
situation. There is a way for you to succeed, no
matter what is against you. God will help you
find that way if you are determined to find it.
Never permit yourself to spend time in
lamentation over yourself or you circumstances.
Keep the following thought and determination
ever before you: "I will make the best of myself
and my circumstances." This is the true and only
road to
success
